The Buddha teaches four meditators—skilled in immersion, in persistence and what’s conducive, in both, or in neither—and declares the one skilled in both immersion and persistence and what’s conducive to be foremost, best, and finest, like cream of ghee among dairy products.

SN 34.55 Persistence and What’s Conducive

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, jhāyī. Katame cattāro?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco jhāyī samādhismiṁ sātaccakārī hoti, na samādhismiṁ sappāyakārī.

Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco jhāyī samādhismiṁ sappāyakārī hoti, na samādhismiṁ sātaccakārī.

Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco jhāyī neva samādhismiṁ sātaccakārī hoti, na ca samādhismiṁ sappāyakārī.

Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco jhāyī samādhismiṁ sātaccakārī ca hoti, samādhismiṁ sappāyakārī ca.

Tatra, bhikkhave, yvāyaṁ jhāyī samādhismiṁ sātaccakārī ca hoti samādhismiṁ sappāyakārī ca ayaṁ imesaṁ catunnaṁ jhāyīnaṁ aggo ca seṭṭho ca mokkho ca uttamo ca pavaro ca.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, gavā khīraṁ, khīramhā dadhi, dadhimhā navanītaṁ, navanītamhā sappi, sappimhā sappimaṇḍo tatra aggamakkhāyati;

evameva kho, bhikkhave, yvāyaṁ jhāyī samādhismiṁ sātaccakārī ca hoti, samādhismiṁ sappāyakārī ca ayaṁ imesaṁ catunnaṁ jhāyīnaṁ aggo ca seṭṭho ca mokkho ca uttamo ca pavaro cā”ti.

Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.

Pañcapaññāsamaṁ.

(Yathā pañcapaññāsaṁ veyyākaraṇāni honti tathā vitthāretabbāni.)

Khandhavaggo tatiyo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Samādhi samāpatti ṭhiti ca,
Vuṭṭhānaṁ kallitārammaṇena ca;
Gocarā abhinīhāro sakkacca,
Sātacca athopi sappāyanti.

Jhānasaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.

Tassuddānaṁ

Khandha rādhasaṁyuttañca,
diṭṭhiokkanta uppādā;
Kilesa sāriputtā ca,
nāgā supaṇṇa gandhabbā;
Valāha vacchajhānanti,
khandhavaggamhi terasāti.

Khandhavaggasaṁyuttapāḷi niṭṭhitā.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, jhāyī.

“Mendicants, there are these four meditators.

Katame cattāro?

What four?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco jhāyī samādhismiṁ sātaccakārī hoti, na samādhismiṁ sappāyakārī.

One meditator is skilled in practicing persistently for immersion but not in doing what’s conducive to it.

Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco jhāyī samādhismiṁ sappāyakārī hoti, na samādhismiṁ sātaccakārī.

One meditator is skilled in doing what’s conducive to immersion but not in practicing persistently for it.

Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco jhāyī neva samādhismiṁ sātaccakārī hoti, na ca samādhismiṁ sappāyakārī.

One meditator is skilled neither in practicing persistently for immersion nor in doing what’s conducive to it.

Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco jhāyī samādhismiṁ sātaccakārī ca hoti, samādhismiṁ sappāyakārī ca.

One meditator is skilled both in practicing persistently for immersion and in doing what’s conducive to it.

Tatra, bhikkhave, yvāyaṁ jhāyī samādhismiṁ sātaccakārī ca hoti samādhismiṁ sappāyakārī ca ayaṁ imesaṁ catunnaṁ jhāyīnaṁ aggo ca seṭṭho ca mokkho ca uttamo ca pavaro ca.

Of these, the meditator skilled both in practicing persistently for immersion and in doing what’s conducive to it is the foremost, best, leading, highest, and finest of the four.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, gavā khīraṁ, khīramhā dadhi, dadhimhā navanītaṁ, navanītamhā sappi, sappimhā sappimaṇḍo tatra aggamakkhāyati;

From a cow comes milk, from milk comes curds, from curds come butter, from butter comes ghee, and from ghee comes cream of ghee. And the cream of ghee is said to be the best of these.

evameva kho, bhikkhave, yvāyaṁ jhāyī samādhismiṁ sātaccakārī ca hoti, samādhismiṁ sappāyakārī ca ayaṁ imesaṁ catunnaṁ jhāyīnaṁ aggo ca seṭṭho ca mokkho ca uttamo ca pavaro cā”ti.

In the same way, the meditator skilled both in practicing persistently for immersion and in doing what’s conducive to it is the foremost, best, leading, highest, and finest of the four.”

Idamavoca bhagavā.

That is what the Buddha said.

Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.

Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said.

Pañcapaññāsamaṁ.

(Yathā pañcapaññāsaṁ veyyākaraṇāni honti tathā vitthāretabbāni.)

(All should be told in full as per the fifty-fifth discourse.)

Khandhavaggo tatiyo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Samādhi samāpatti ṭhiti ca,

Vuṭṭhānaṁ kallitārammaṇena ca;

Gocarā abhinīhāro sakkacca,

Sātacca athopi sappāyanti.

Jhānasaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.

The Linked Discourses on Absorption are complete.

Tassuddānaṁ

Khandha rādhasaṁyuttañca,

diṭṭhiokkanta uppādā;

Kilesa sāriputtā ca,

nāgā supaṇṇa gandhabbā;

Valāha vacchajhānanti,

khandhavaggamhi terasāti.

Khandhavaggasaṁyuttapāḷi niṭṭhitā.

The Book of the Aggregates is finished.

Topics & Qualities:

Collectedness

Collectedness

A mental quality of composure where awareness is gathered, steady, rather than scattered or tense. In such collectedness, supported by mindfulness and right view, experience is clearly known and can be wisely contemplated.

Also known as: mental composure, stability of mind, stillness of mind, concentration, undistracted awareness
Pāli: samādhi, samāhita, susamāhita, sammāsamādhi
View all discourses →
Jhana

Jhana

An abiding with a steady, collected awareness that is attained through seclusion from the five hindrances and unwholesome mental states. When supported by right view, a jhāna can be a basis for the wearing away of taints and directing the mind toward the vision of Nibbāna.

Also known as: meditation, undistracted awareness, absorption, mental absorption
Pāli: jhāna, samāhita, susamāhita, sammāsamādhi
View all discourses →
Vigour

Vigour

Energetic effort and resilience in practice. It is the refusal to shrink back, the 'uphill' force that initiates and sustains wholesome actions against the gravity of habit.

Also known as: energy, effort, enthusiasm, zeal, application of will, persistence
Pāli: vīriya
View all discourses →

Last updated on July 27, 2026